Thank you everyone. I do already have sneakers and hiking boots and the weather has been good for hiking.

I have some workout DVDs but they're either from before children (I currently can't do an hour of high intensity aerobics) or during pregnancy (the baby is now 12). I've been working from the exercise videos on SP I'll eventually expand my home collection again.

Snowshoes wouldn't be useful. I'm in the Mid-atlantic we only get that much snow about every 5 years or so and it doesn't stay long.

RHYMESWITHBABY I really want snowshoes but I need someone to snowshoe with (and probably to go a little further north in my state to make it worth my while, we get a lot of snow here but it doesn't tend to be very deep in comparison to what I like to snowshoe in). I've been and there's nothing like hiking through fresh snow that doesn't have human tracks yet and making that first set! I like regular walking in snow too which is good since we usually get less than a foot here (boots work fine for six inches or so).

I actually have three pieces of exercis equipment I like, but I have to say my favorites are a tie between my mountain bike and kayak......sorry, I just couldn't choose one over the other. My third piece is a treadmill, but I love being outside if at all possible to exercise.....

I'm not sure that this counts as home exercise equipment but I'm sure it counts as exercise equipment I own. My favourite equipment is my snowshoes. I don't get to use them very often, and in my case I have to wait for a decent snowfall and then transport them (usually) to a public area 10 minutes from my home, but I love hiking in winter and snowshoes make flat expanses of unbroken snow into inviting and interesting places to "walk".

my favorite is a box of weight plates and bars with clips I got for 25 bucks at walmart. With these you can go up in weight. If you are looking for something that doesn't use much space I just bought a bar that has 2 resistance bands attached. It is suppose to be use for pilates. But I use it for strength training. You can do squats with it...bicep curls and so many things.

A variety of workout DVDs can be your best friend, and as others have mentioned, a lot of libraries have them available to check out. You can get ones that focus on strength, flexibility, aerobic exercise or anything in between. All you likely will need for most of the workouts are a set of handweights to go with that mat you have.

In the end though, whatever you think you will be able to consistently do is going to be the best piece for you. I waited a good long time before investing in a treadmill because I wanted to make sure that walking/running (particularly indoors during the winter) was something that I was going to commit to and continue doing. It's no fun when something becomes a glorified clothing stand.

The only thing I own right now is a mat and a two weights of 1.5 kg. I like the weights! I'm dreaming of getting a stationary bike so I don't need to bike outside when there's ice on the roads, or when it rains.

If I can only pick one thing it would have to be my powerblocks. I love my Powerblocks! My set goes from 5-50 lbs in 5 lbs increments. I was lucky enough to find them on a local buy/sell website a few years ago for a great price.

Free weights are the most versatile piece of equipment you can own. You can work any part of the body with them and there are so many different exercises you can do.

I'd add in some weights! I currently have two 3lb and two 5lb. Strength training is a great addition to cardio for weight loss and who doesn't want to be stronger than they are now? They're great for small exercises throughout the day and Coach Nicole has some great workout videos incorporating weights.

I really like my stability ball as well for hyper extensions which are AMAZING at killing love handles, but I haven't used it for anything else... There are tons of videos and things here and around the internet though. One con for the stability ball is that it's really big, so you'll need somewhere to store it. I currently have it in my closet, but I've also had it hanging from a hook with a set of bungee cords

Do you like DVD workouts ? If you're not sure what to buy, you don't have to buy anything. Instead, go to your local library and borrow some DVDs. Your local library is not only a great resource for books, but you can borrow DVDs and CDs too. So, if there is a DVD you'd like to try, but not sure if you want to buy it, check your library first.

If you're looking for an inexpensive piece of exercise equipment, I'm going to encourage you to buy a set of resistance bands. Resistance bands are a great way to strength train at home. You don't need to do a lot to start, Coach Nicole has some short routines you could try.

Do you do any walking ? Walking is great cardiovascular exercise. So, if you don't want to go to a gym, why not walk ? I'm a big fan of walking. I walk everywhere. All you'd need is a decent pair of walking shoes. And I would encourage you do get fitted for a decent pair.

I'm asking because I currently don't own anything other than a mat. I have been working out more at home and at the gym but would like to have some variety at home. I'm trying to decide what to add to expand the exercise possibilities. Could you please share what is your favorite home exercise equipment and why?

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